Various forms of yeast protein have served as the means for providing flavor enhancement, especially for beef and poultry.
Yeast extract consists of the protein and other intracellular material extracted from yeast cells by a process known as autolysis. Yeast extract has long been in use as an additive to food products and today is used to increase the robust, broth-like flavor of soups, bouillon, and sauces. Several basic products based on various forms of yeasts have evolved as convenience broths and gravies. In addition to dry powders, yeast products in liquid, paste, or granular form have been produced to fill special production requirements.
As interest in yeast activities has grown, many properties of yeast extracts have been recognized. In addition to flavor enhancement, yeast extract has also exhibited emulsification properties. Many food products which benefit from the flavor enhancement of added yeast, also require emulsifiers to maintain their consistency and texture. Examples of such foods are those which are suspended in a water phase, contain fats or oils and which are not expected to separate, e.g., buttermilk or cream-based salad dressings and cheese sauce. Because some yeast extracts exhibit emulsification properties, no additional emulsifier need be present in the food containing said extract.
The flavor enhancing properties present in some yeast extracts make it possible for the yeast to modify flavor characteristics of foods, and intensify seasonings. These properties also reduce the need for sodium by altering the perceived flavor of sodium chloride in food systems so that the salt content can be reduced without a significant loss of salty taste. Yeast extracts also reduce if not eliminate the need for MSG by offering a safe, viable option to MSG use. Because flavor properties can be introduced into the substrate to produce yeast proteins that are essentially tailored to a specific flavor goal, flavor development for the future appears to be directed at the further exploitation of yeast and its properties.
It is therefore beneficial to identify and isolate novel extracts which have utility as flavor enhancers or as emulsifiers. Thus, providing such novel extracts from the yeast Candida utilis which act as either flavor enhancers or emulsifiers is a significant contribution to the art.